System of metal shelves displaceable for bookcases and similar articles



Aug. 27, 1940. A. H. LIESKEN 6 SYSTEM OF METAL SHELVES DISPLACEABLE FORBOOKCASES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed Jan. 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug.27, 1940. A. H. LIESKEN SYSTEM OF METAL SHELVES DISPLACEABLE FORBOOKCASES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed Jan. 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Aug. 27, 1940 UTED STATES SYSTEM OF METAL SHELVES DISPLACE-ABLE FOR BOOKCASES AND S IMILAR,

ARTICLES Auguste Hubert Liesken, Brussels, Belgium Application January6, 1938, Serial No. 183,729

In Belgium June 1, 1937 4 Claims.

For this purpose the invention provides that the said shelves which areengaged in the above mentioned racks are also looked locally against anelement, for example, a face of the vertical supports which is situatedin a plane other than that Ofthe racks.

The invention also provides for the locking of the shelves by means oflugs which are preferably disposed at right angles to the verticalsupports and cooperate with recesses provided in the above mentionedelement of the vertical supports.

The invention provides also that when the shelves are displacedsubstantially parallel to their plane the amplitude of their forwardtilting movement shall be limited to a predetermined value in order toprevent the books which they carry from sliding and falling off them.The amplitude may be limited by a bolt arrangement which is rigidlyfixed to the vertical sides of the shelves and which in the closingposition is locked against the wings of the uprights of the article.

The invention relates also to other features which will appear in thefollowing description.

The attached drawings show by way of example one embodiment of theinvention. The latter covers the various original features comprised in40 the arrangement shown.

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the set of shelves according to the inventionshowing the arrangement limiting the rocking of the shelves.

Fig. 1a is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a 45 displaceable shelf inthe tilted position.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the support with a section of the upright, thesupport being mounted in position.

Fig. 3 is a section of one of the vertical sides of a shelf.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line AA of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a front view of the support showing the way in which the shelfis mountedon the supports Without the useof screws, screwed bolts orsliding bolts which necessitate the use of tools for fixing or removingthe shelves.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatical View illustrating the manner in which thesupport is removed from the upright without vertical displacement.

Figs. '7 and 8 are a front and side viewof a. detail of the shelvesaccording to the invention.

The displaceable shelveswhich from the subject of the present inventionare on the one hand mounted by means of a pin 2 inracks 3 provided inthe side wings 4 of the vertical supports 5' of the case and on theother hand locked bythe cooperation of tongues fi with slots 1 providedin the channel 8 of the vertical supports (see Fi gs 1, 1a and 2). Theslot is provided at the bottom of a stamped portion forming a verticalguiding member for registering the tongues and the pin with theirassociated holes or recesses.

This very simple and at the same time very original constructionenables, as will readily be seen, a firm engagement of the shelves withtheir support to be obtained which engagement, owing to the fact that itis based upon the formation of a couple, increased with the load appliedto the displaceable shelves.

When the shelf is in the position of Fig.1 and it is required to move iteither upwards or downwards it is first rocked forwards (see arrow) toan angle of approximately 4 to'thehorizontal. This rocking disengagesthe pin 2 from the teeth of the racks 3 and also disengages the tongues6 from the slots 1 provided in the side 8 of the vertical supports. Theshelves are thus released and may be moved upwards or downwards whileremaining parallel to themselves since they are guided in theirdisplacement by the flanges 9 (see Fig. 2).

When the shelves have reached the desired height it is sufficient torelease them in order that the action of the couple due to their ownweight and that of the load may come automatically into effect and causethem to be engaged and locked with their vertical supports.

It should be noted that the rocking of the shelves preceding theirdisplacement takes place (see Fig, 1a) about an, imaginarycentre ofrotation situated approximately at A. Owing to the presence of theradius II! which is provided on the upper edge of the sides [2 of theshelves, the imaginary centre of rotation A is displaced downwards whichallows the angle necessary for disengagement to be reduced to 4.

In order that the books which line the horizontal face l3 of the shelvesshall not slide off, it is necessary that the rocking of the shelvesshould not exceed a predetermined value, 4 for example. For this purposeeach of the vertical sides f the shelf is provided with a bolt 22 endingin a pin 23 which engages in a hole 24 provided in the rear wall of theplatform l3 of the shelf. The position of these holes 24 (one hole neareach end of the platform I3) is chosen in such a manner that when thepin 22 is engaged in these holes the upper wing 25 of the bolt isdisposed in the path (see especially Fig. 4) of the side wing 4 of thevertical support 5.

If at this moment the shelf is swung forwards the amplitude of theswinging movement will be limited to 4 by the abutment of the Wing 25which in the normal position of the shelf is disposed obliquely (seeFig. 4) against the edge of the Wing 4.

When it is desired to remove a shelf it is merely necessary first of allto draw the platform 83 out. The pins 23 are thus released and the boltmay be moved towards the right (Fig. 4) by reason of the slotted hole22a so as to disengage itself from the wing 4 of the support.

By means of this arrangement the bookshelf or platform proper may beremoved without it being necessary to touch the supports. The supportsthemselves may be removed instantaneously by simple rotation of the pin2 in a vertical plane parallel to the face of the shelf. It is thus notnecessary first of all to displace the shelves above or below the shelfwhich it is desired to remove nor the adjacent shelves of theneighbouring sections.

The horizontal face l3 of the shelves (Fig. 7), that is to say, the faceintended for receiving the books is removably connected to the sides 22of the shelves by the cooperation (see particularly Fig. 5) of parts 14belonging to the sides [2 with corresponding parts l5 provided in thehorizontal face l3.

In order to prevent the horizontal platform i3 becoming accidentallyreleased from the sides 42 of the shelf the invention provides forfurnishing the front wall of this platform with a small tongue 26(Fig. 1) which engages in a notch 27 provided in the edge of each side.

By gently pulling forward the said face the tongue, by reason of itselasticity, will leave the above mentioned notch and the platform l3 maybe separated from the sides.

It should further be noted that the shelves are provided withcompressors 18 for keeping the books in place on the shelves. Thesecompressors are provided with horizontal feet l9 which when thecompressors rock (see arrow Fig. 8) under the weight of the books wedgethemselves against the wings 20 forming the frame of the shelves.

It is evident that the invention is in no wise limited to the embodimentdescribed merely by way of example and that it extends to anyconstruction falling within the scope or the spirit of the followingclaims.

What I claim is:

1. Removable metal shelf construction for bookcases and similarfurniture comprising two vertical uprights in the form of a casingpartially open in front and provided on their front surface with sidewings bent toward the interior: of the casing, a rack system provided onsaid wings, a system of notches provided on the front surface of saidcasing, and rockable Ll-shaped lateral supports for supporting a shelfand positioned in said casing, the flanges of said U-shaped supportsextending along two different inclined planes, the upper part of saidflanges bearing on the rear surface of said casing when the supports arein unhooked position, the lower part of said flanges bearing on the rearsurface of said casing when the supports are in hooked position, each ofsaid supports being provided at its upper part with a pivot pin adaptedto co-operate with said rack system, and near its lower part with asystem of tonguesdesigned to penetrate into said notches, for effecting,concurrently with the pivot pin, the hocking of the supports to theupright.

2. Removable metal shelf construction for bookcases and similarfurniture comprising two vertical uprights in the form of a casingpartially open in front and provided on their front surface with sideWings bent toward the interior of the casing, a rack system provided onsaid wings, a system of notches provided on the front surface of saidcasing, and rockable U-shaped lateral supports for supporting a shelfand posi- :1

tioned in said casing, the flanges of said U-shaped supports extendingalong two different inclined planes, the upper part of said flangesbearing on the rear surface of said casing when the supports are inunhooked position, the lower part of said 1.

said uprights While in unhooked position, and

means to limit the amplitude of the rocking of said supports.

3. Removable metal shelf construction for bookcases and similarfurniture comprising two vertical uprights in the form of a casingpartially open in front and provided on their front surface with sidewings bent toward the interior of the casing, a rack system provided onsaid wings, a system of notches provided on the front surface of saidcasing, and rockable lateral supports for supporting a shelf andpositioned in said casing, each of said supports being provided at itsupper part with a pivot pin adapted to co-operate with said rack systemand near its lower part with a system of tongues adapted to penetrateinto said notches, for effecting, concurrently with the pivot pin, thehooking of the supports to the uprights, and a sliding bolt mechanismmounted on one of said supports and co-operating with the wings of saidcasing, to limit the amplitude of the rocking of these latter while thesupports are being unhooked.

4. Removable metal shelf construction for bookcases and similarfurniture comprising two vertical uprights in the form of a casingpartially open in front and provided on their front surface with sidewings bent toward the interior of the casing, a rack system provided onsaid wings, a system of notches provided on the front surface of saidcasing and rockable U-shaped lateral supports for supporting a shelf andpositioned in said casing, the flanges of said U- shaped supportsextending along two different inclined planes, the upper part of saidflanges bearing on the rear surface of said casing when the supports arein unhooked position, the lower part of said flanges bearing on the rearsurface of said casing when the supports are in hooked position, each ofsaid supports being provided at 75 its upper part with a pivot pinadapted to cooperate with said rack system, and near its lower part witha system of tongues designed to penetrate into said notches, foreffecting, concurrently with the pivot pin, the hooking of the supportsto the uprights, said supports being vertically movable relative to saiduprights while in unhooked position, and means to limit the amplitude ofthe rocking of said supports, and means to look the last-named means inoperative 'position.

AUGUSTE HUBERT LIESKEEN.

